Chapter 70: Growing Population, part 1
Aric looked at Ariel with a soft gaze. He stretched his hand out and placed it on her face. She leaned into it without much thought.
"I don’t know how it works with dark elves and the whole chaos thing, but as far as I know, you are Ariel, the beautiful elf I met in this same forest, that shared a meal with me and taught me a lot about this world.
I would have been in the dark without you. I might have struggled a whole lot if it wasn’t for you, so I’m grateful to you.
We might not have known each other for months or years, but you are the dearest person to me here. I don’t care what your birth says. To me, you are still Ariel, and that chaos, it’s also part of you.
I accept all of you, and I’ll help you to control that side of you as well. It doesn’t matter how long—it, we have the time for it," he said, still looking into her eyes.
Ariel stared back at him. Her head moved in slowly, and their lips touched for a brief second before she pulled away.
"Thank you, Aric," she said and got to her feet, then walked out.
Aric could tell that the dark clouds were still looming over her, but he was certain she would get over it.
He got up as well and walked to the door. When he opened it, he saw over two hundred goblins lined up on their knees in chains, along with some humans, Andrew, and the Baron, also in chains.
"I know I planned for this, but seeing it now is a much bigger issue," Aric said.